Tenille Townes + Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra

As she crisscrosses Canada and the U.S. on her Living Room Tour, award-winning singer-songwriter Tenille Townes has been taking a stripped-back, acoustic approach to her performances. For her two upcoming dates with the Calgary Philharmonic, including April 25 at the Jack Singer Concert Hall, fans are offered a distinctive approach which melds the intimate with orchestral grandeur. Those lucky enough to catch Tenille Townes with the Phil will see her emotionally rich storytelling amplified by the full symphonic sound of the Orchestra led by Resident Conductor Juliane Gallant.

Townes, who is also getting ready to release a new self-produced album in April, found time between tour stops to chat about her upcoming show with the Phil.

Your upcoming concerts with the Calgary Phil will be your first time performing with an orchestra. How do you feel in the lead-up to this debut?

I am beyond excited for these shows with the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. Imagining standing up there with that wall of sound — where everyone comes together with a layer that paints the whole picture in the snapshot of a song. It will be like nothing I've experienced before, and I cannot wait. I’m truly honoured to hear the songs that I've written take on an entirely new life in these arrangements! I have this feeling these two shows, where songs that I've written take on something entirely new, will be an emotional, musical cornerstone experience I will remember for the rest of my life!

What can you share about the process of adapting your material for the Orchestra? I understand that Dave Pierce is working on the arrangements.

I've had the best time working with Dave on these arrangements. I've had the setlist on a whiteboard in my spare room at my house, dreaming of how this show will glue together with all those instruments in an entirely new light. It has been incredibly fun hearing Dave's arrangements and collaborating on this show together. He's incredible, and it's been wonderful working with him. It also brought forward a storytelling element — and Dave has written music to play during these stories between songs... All of the songs connect to each other in a different way than I've ever done before, and I can't wait to hear it all come to life.

Tells us about the new self-produced, independently released album you have coming out on April 10.

It's called The Acrobat. I made this album in the spare room at my house, playing everything and producing this project on my own. It’s raw, acoustic, imperfect, and feels like the most honest expression of my autonomy as an artist. It’s a symbol of my leap — without a safety net — of being an independent artist again. It's been a winding journey since I packed up my Tacoma and drove 47 hours from Grande Prairie to Nashville to chase the dream, and I found myself needing to strip away all the noise to get back to the truth of the matter underneath. The sparseness of this record was a big part of my healing journey over the past couple of years and helped me find my intuition again. It's my greatest hope that this music could do the same for somebody listening to it.

Can we expect to hear any of the new material at these concerts?

Yes!! I'm thrilled to have a couple of songs from the brand-new album in the setlists. These songs are incredibly vulnerable, and having the support of the orchestra around them feels especially impactful. I'm also excited for the contrast of the intimate acoustic moments and storytelling, paired with the Orchestra's wall of sound. I know it will stir up all kinds of emotions for me, surrounded by it all.

You’ve logged a lot of time on the road, playing with everyone from Stevie Nicks to Shania Twain, and now you’re embarking on a new tour. What has you excited for this one?

I love being on the road so much. I love the motion. I love feeling a part of different cities and towns. And I love any opportunity to learn from my heroes for sure! But my favourite tours have been the shows where the community of people who gather around my music come together. Everybody who walks through the door sets an environment where everyone can feel loved and be who they are. We always travel through a wide range of emotions alongside each other. I'm really excited for this Living Room Tour because it is also stripping back all the noise and getting to the heart of the songs. These songs are going to feel very intimate and personal, like we are all hanging in a living room together. I can't wait to hang with the crowds, and I think every show will live and breathe and be its own moment!

How does it feel to come back home to Alberta? Should we expect a few folks from Grande Prairie coming down for the concerts?

It is always a joy to be back in Alberta. I know it's cliché, but there's no place like home. And Calgary always brings so much love to a show. And, yes, a few family members from GP are making the road trip and can't wait to see everybody at these special shows!! Ahhh, I'm so excited!!!

See Tenille Townes + Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra on April 25 at 7:30 PM in the Jack Singer Concert Hall. Presented in Partnership with the Taylor Family Foundation.